A schizophrenic man who was caught banging on a house door on Christmas Eve armed with a kitchen knife has been jailed.

Police were called to Church Street in Clayton-le-Moors after a ‘concerned’ neighbour spotted Anthony Eden ‘intoxicated’ and banging on a door carrying a red-handled four-inch knife.

Burnley Crown Court heard how when officers arrived the 36-year-old got into an ‘altercation’ before dropping the knife down a drain.

Eden, who lives on the street, pleaded guilty to having a bladed article in a public place and was jailed for seven months.

Alison Mather, prosecuting, said the incident happened at around 7pm on December 24 last year.

The court heard how when police arrived Eden was ‘quite aggressive with the officers’ as they tried to restrain him.

Miss Mather said: “He was taken to Greenbank custody suite. Numerous attempts were made to interview him and get some assistance for him from mental health professionals, doctors and the duty solicitor but he refused all help.

"He said he didn’t remember any incident from the previous night and claimed the police were all dodgy.”

Michael Hagerty, defending, said the offence was ‘linked to his mental health issues and his addiction to drink and drugs’.

He told the court: “The defendant was under the impression that there was somebody after him at the house he went to, but that of course was not true.

“The police attended when contacted by a neighbour.

“It was a very alarming situation and one which does create concerns, but fortunately it didn’t get beyond him being alone outside the house brandishing the knife.

“He was the subject to licence at the time this offence was committed but he’s not been recalled as it would have been a very short recall.

“The defendant has stabilised while in custody. He has received his medication and regular treatment. He believes he is now in a position to be released back into the community.”

Judge Jonathan Gibson said there was the ‘potential for very serious injury’.

Sentencing, he said: “When the police attended there was an altercation with them. You didn’t give them the knife voluntarily but you were arrested.